Dear Residents,

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes continues to monitor the spread of the novel coronavirus in Los Angeles County and would like to share the following updates with the community:

The Latest

L.A. County Will Not Consider School Reopening Waivers, Per New State Guidance

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will adhere to new guidance from the California Department of Public Health, which recommends that counties with case rates at or above 200 cases per 100,000 residents do not extend waivers for the reopening of classroom instruction for students in grades TK- 6.

Los Angeles County’s case rate currently is 355 per 100,000 and the county will not be considering waiver applications, at this point in time.

Public Health knows that to many families, this is a disappointing announcement, but it’s based on the existing science and data that is guiding all of the county's decision-making. The county needs to ensure the health and safety of our children, school teachers and staff and all of their families.

This decision will be reconsidered once the case rate falls to the levels recommended by the state.

Public Health will continue to work with all of its partners across the county to implement the infection control strategies we know effectively reduce community transmission and case rates so that schools can reopen for in-person instruction as soon as the data and science tell us it’s safe to do so.

While all schools, public and private, across the county are closed for in-person instruction of students, teachers, staff and administrators are allowed to return to school buildings provided adults adhere to existing protocols that require physical distancing and infection control measures, including wearing face coverings.

California Public Health Officials Release Guidance on Youth Sports and Elementary School Waivers

On August 3, the California Department of Public Health released guidance on youth sports and detailed the process for elementary schools to request a waiver to resume in-person instruction in counties on the state monitoring list. According to the guidance, youth sports must comply with cohorting and physical distancing requirements, with an emphasis on physical conditioning and skill-building. School officials may apply for waivers to open grades TK-6 for in-person instruction only if they can guarantee small cohorted instruction, receive sign-off from the local health officer, and consult with members of the school community.

Learn more at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR20-183.asp

COVID-19 Data Incomplete due to State Electronic Data Reporting System

Today, the L.A. County Department of Public Health announced that the State of California has determined under reporting of COVID-19 cases due to technology issues with the electronic laboratory system (ELR). Public Health learned of new issues with the State ELR feed on an emergency call convened by the state last night. This issue has undercounted the county's positive cases and affects the number of COVID-19 cases reported each day and our contact tracing efforts. However, there should not be delays in patients being notified of lab results, as laboratories continue to report tests results directly to providers and hospitals.

The department has implemented an independent strategy to obtain accurate data and a team from the department is now working urgently to reach out to at least 81 labs to obtain all COVID-19 test results from July 26 to the present to determine the accurate positive case count in L.A. County for the time period in question. Public Health is also implementing a system for all labs to report positive test results to the department immediately so that moving forward the department can have an accurate case count and be assured that contact tracing efforts are not delayed.

Public Health has noted issues with the state electronic lab reporting system for about two weeks. Once the data reporting issues are fixed, the number of cases is expected to increase.

Data sources that track other key indicators, including hospitalizations, are not impacted by this reporting issue. 

Marymount California University to Conduct Remote Learning for Fall Semester

Marymount California University has announced it will move to remote learning for the fall 2020 semester. Although MCU previously announced an in-person start — and embraced extraordinary measures in hopeful anticipation of welcoming students back to campus — higher education institutions in California will not be allowed to resume on-campus learning in the fall. The most up-to-date direction from the state and county makes clear that all public and private colleges and universities need to continue classes online. These guidelines and the evolving pandemic conditions have also impacted MCU's ability to offer housing and fall sports. For more specific information on what to expect in the upcoming semester, please read the president’s message

Have you taken the latest Alert SouthBay survey?

The Alert SouthBay cities, including Rancho Palos Verdes, want to hear from you about your COVID-19 concerns and what kind of information you need and care about most. Your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping us learn how to best address your concerns during these unprecedented times. The survey will remain open until Friday, August 7, at 8 a.m. Complete the survey at the following link: surveymonkey.com/r/FMY7PY

Contact Tracing is Confidential 

Talking to a contact tracer will help us slow the spread. If people with COVID-19 haven't connected with a specialist by phone, the L.A. County Department of Public Health may reach out by text. You can also call 1-833-540-0473 to connect to a contact tracer or for more information on services.

Be Counted. Complete the Census.

Have you completed your 2020 census? Responses to the census shape decisions about how billions of dollars in federal funds flow into communities each year for the next 10 years for critical services, including health care, emergency response, schools and education programs, and roads and bridges. The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of census data and census participation.

As of August 3, Rancho Palos Verdes has a self-response rate of 76.3%, above state and national averages, but behind our goal of 100% participation. The U.S. Census Bureau has extended the official deadline to participate in the census to October 31 in response to the evolving COVID-19 crisis. If you haven't already done so, complete your census form now online at my2020census.gov, by phone at 844-330-2020, or by mail if you receive a paper form.

Application Window Reopens for Grants of up to $15,000 for Small Businesses

This week, applications for the third round of funding from the L.A. Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund opened for small businesses, nonprofits and micro-entrepreneurs facing unprecedented health and economic challenges due to COVID-19. Applications may be submitted for the third round of funding August 3 – August 7.

The L.A. Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund aims to distribute: 1) $5,000 grants to micro-entrepreneurs and 2) $15,000 grants to non-profits and small businesses. Grants will be distributed through an equitable lottery system, to ensure equitable access to capital across various demographics in the Los Angeles region.

Register for an upcoming webinar to learn more about eligibility and deadlines at lacovidfund.org/events.

Access a full list of local partners providing technical assistance by visiting the LA Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund website. For more information, visit lacovidfund.org. 

PVPUSD Return to School FAQs and Town Hall Video

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District has compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the district’s reopening plans, which were discussed at the July 27 Town Hall Meeting for School Reopening Planning.

• Read the FAQs at pvpusd.net/FAQs
• Watch video of the July 27 Town Hall at youtu.be/SQheVlpEbz

L.A. County Animal Care and Control Waives Adoption Fees in August

The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is waiving cat and dog adoption fees for the month of August. The department is hoping to get more animals out of its care centers and into homes. This waiver does not include license and trust fees. For more information, visit animalcare.lacounty.gov.

Free Virtual Art Classes for Older Adults

Discover the healing properties of art therapy with free virtual art classes for older adults presented by BlueSea Care every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register at bit.ly/2X7doqz

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Recreation and Parks Department at 310-544-5260 or parks@rpvca.gov. If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in programs, services, activities and meetings, contact the City's ADA Coordinator/Risk Manager at 310-683-3157, adarequests@rpvca.gov,
30940 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, at least 48 hours in advance to request an auxiliary aid or accommodation.

New Temporary Special Use Permit for RPV Businesses

The Community Development Department has developed a new Temporary Special Use Permit (TSUP) to assist Rancho Palos Verdes businesses with the opportunity to provide limited outdoor operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A TSUP will allow for outdoor operations on sidewalks and parking lots for: 

• Restaurants
• Fitness centers
• Hair salons and barbershops
• Personal care services, such as nail salons, massage, and tattoo parlors

A TSUP will be processed administratively without a filing fee, public notification, or appeal process that is typically required for a standard Special Use Permit. For a complete list of operational requirements and permit limitations, please see the TSUP application at bit.ly/3gcLFME. For questions regarding the application or submittal requirements, please contact the Planning Division at 310-544-5228 or send an email to the Planning Division at planning@rpvca.gov.

Cases

According to the Department of Public Health, 12 deaths have been reported in Rancho Palos Verdes. The City extends its deepest condolences to the families of these residents.

For a list of cases broken down by city, demographic characteristics, and settings, visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/locations.htm

For an interactive dashboard with maps and graphs showing testing, cases and death data by community, poverty level, age, sex and race/ethnicity visit: http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_surveillance_dashboard/

An interactive dashboard of COVID-19 cases in the South Bay maintained by the City of Torrance is available at bit.ly/2XB1fv1. The dashboard reflects information sourced by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health: publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus
California Department of Public Health: cdph.ca.gov/covid19 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): cdc.gov/COVID19
World Health Organization: who.int/coronavirus
California Governor’s Office: covid19.ca.gov
County of Los Angeles: lacounty.gov/covid19
L.A. County residents can also call 2-1-1
FEMA Coronavirus Rumor Control: https://www.fema.gov/Coronavirus-Rumor-Control
 
Sign up for “Notify Me” city listervs at rpvca.gov/notify

Be sure to also follow the City on Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 
 
Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert SouthBay by:

• Texting “alertsb” to 888-777, which returns a link to register for Everbridge (for COVID-19-related alerts, text the keyword "cv19rpv")
• Registering online at alertsouthbay.com
• Downloading the free Everbridge app on an iOS or Android device from the App Store or Google Play. Select “Find an organization or subscription” and search “alertsb”

Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert LA County at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/alert-la/